Collapsible carriage



y 1953 L. SCHON 2,639;-162- COLLAPSIBLE CARRIAGE Filed May 17, 1949 2 sheets-sheet 1 Fig mvzzvrom lea .Suwn,

[6's 4 ca May 19, 1953 scH N COLLAPSIBLE CARRIAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 17 1949 INVENTOR: Leo 60",

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Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE CARRIAGE Leo Schon, New York, N. Y.

Application May 17, 1949, Serial N 0. 93,687

4 Claims. 1

The invention relates to vehicles, and relates more particularly to wheel borne hand driven carriages of the collapsible type.

The invention has among its objects to provide such a carriage that is of sturdy construction, yet light in weight, is simple to manufacture, and which can be stored in a very narrow and short space while being arranged to be expanded to a normal size carriage for the purpose used.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following specification and in part will be obvious therefrom without being specifically referred to, the same being realized and attained as pointed out in the claims hereof.

For the purpose of clarity and simplicity, the carriage will be described in the following as a carriage for infants, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and is equally applicable to carriages of other types. Furthermore, in the ensuing description of an exemplification it has been assumed that the infant sitting in the carriage is facing the person pushing or pulling the carriage, but it will be understood that the invention encompasses other arrangements of the seat, save as limited by the claims hereof.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, one embodiment of the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a carriage in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, the carriage being unfolded;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but the carriage being folded Fig. 4 is an underside view of the carriage as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 8-6 01 Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is an extended view, in perspective, illustrating the foot rest detail of the carriage.

In carrying the invention into effect in one of the embodiments which has been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and for description in this specification, and referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is provided a frame structure generally indicated at H. The frame structure ll comprises a middle portion l2, two side portions l3 and I4, and a series of links forming a link system generally designated I6 for interconnecting said portions.

The middle portion l2 includes two telescoping tubes, namely an outer tube I! and an inner tube 18, that are axially slidably shiftable relative to each other. The tubes I! and I8 are hollow and may be of circular or square cross section or of other suitable sectional shape.

The side portions l3 and i4 may be made of tubes or, preferably, of U-beams facing inwardly,

as best shown in Fig. 6. These side portions are movable towards and from the middle portion, in tied symmetrical and parallel movement, and this movement is brought about by the link system I6, as will be explained further below. The side portions l3 and M are arranged at the same height as the middle portion l2, as best shown in Fig. 6, and are spaced therefrom at one extreme position when the carriage structure is expanded to be used, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and are adjacent the middle portion in another extreme position, as best shown in Fig. 3, when the carriage is collapsed or folded.

Each side portion has a downward extension 19 that carries an axle 2| on which, in turn, is mounted a carriage wheel 22. The wheels 22 are freely turnable about the axle 2|, but since the axle is rigidly mounted on the extension I! to the side portion, the plane of rotation of the wheel will always be parallel to the side portion, the middle portion and therefore to that of the other wheel.

In the preferred embodiment that has been illustrated in the accompanying views, two wheels 22 are shown supporting the carriage structure; it will be understood, however, that the number of wheels may be varied to any suitable number depending on particular conditions for which the carriage is manufactured, while still remaining within the orbit circumscribing the scope of the invention.

Each wheel 22 is provided with a protecting shield 23 that is mounted at 24 to the side portion. The wheels 22, as well as the shields 23, are movable laterally together with the side portions between the extreme positions thereof.

A series of links form the scissors type link system l6 and includes interconnected pairs of links above and below the exterior of the outside tube ll. The links 26, 21, 28, 29, 3| and 32 are disposed above the tube l1 and the links 33,

portion, the bar 66 being secured to the side portion l3 and the bar 61 secured to the side portion l4. Each bar provides a slanting arm rest and has a vertical part at the rear of the carriage provided with a pivot point 68. A seat supporting portion is removably associated with each side portion, the seat portion 69 being on the side portion l3, and the seat portion II on the side portion l4. The seat supporting portions 69 and H may be secured, for instance, at one end by pin and hole connection, as shown at 12, to the vertical part of the arm rest, and be screwed at its other end to the side portion, as shown at 13.

A back rest support 14 is pivoted at the pivot point 68 to each vertical part of the arm rest, and swingable about the pivot 68 between an upright position (shown in Fig. 1 in solid lines) and a downward and forward tilted position (shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, at 14') A flexible seat 16 that has two lateral sleeves l1, and which is shown in broken lines in Figs. 1 and 2, is mounted with its sleeves on the seat supporting portions 69 and H the seat will be folded when the carriage is being collapsed. A flexible back rest 18 that has two sleeves 19 is mounted with its sleeves on the back rest supports 14, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. Before operating the linkage system for collapsing the carriage, the operator will first bend the back rest supports 14 forwardly and downwardly (into the position shown at 14), whereby the overall height of the carriage is brought to a minimum, and then proceed with the folding of the carriage. Upon such folding, the backrest will also automatically be folded.

The seat as well as the backrest may be made of plastic or textile or any other similar suitable material, sufficiently flexible and pliable to permit easy folding in order to prevent obstruction of the collapsing of the carriage.

Each back rest support 14 is provided at its lower end with a clasp 8| adapted to encircle, for a portion, the vertical part of the arm rest below the pivot 68 for releasably locking the support 14 in upright position. The clasp is readily disengageable from the vertical part when the back rest support is manually tilted forwardly.

A supporting leg 82 is mounted on the underside of each of the side portions 13 and M, for steadying the unfolded carriage where two wheels 22 are being used in the construction. The legs 82 are preferably located spaced from the wheels for as large a distance as possible in order to provide for maximum stability. For simplifying the construction in connection with the foot rests 4| and 42, each leg is made of two longitudinal parts, a lower part 83 that may be solid and provides the leg part resting on the ground, and which carries on its upper end a vertical slot 85 and a threaded hole (not shown) intercommunicating with the slot 85, and an upper leg part 84 that may be hollow and carries a thread 90 on its interior near the lower end and is rigidly secured to a side portion.

Each of the foot rests is provided on the underside with a rib or webbing 81 adapted to fit into the slots 85 of the lower leg parts 83, and is provided on the upper side with a flat portion 88 for receiving a foot in resting position and has on the flat portion 88 on one end a hole 80. A screw piece 86 may be screwed into the thread 90 and protrude through the hole 80 and be also threaded into the thread of the lower leg 83.

6 On the other end each foot rest has a threaded hole 89, and the rib B1 of one foot rest is partially cut on to permit overlapping of the fiat portions 88 at "that point, and the other foot rest has a slot in the rib in registry with the hole 89 in order to receive a screw protruding through and threading simultaneously into the holes 89 of both foot rests for pivotally connecting the same to each other and to the middle portion II.

A ring 9| is mounted on the outer tube l1 and clamps in pivotal connection at 92 the flattened upper part 94 of a connecting piece 93 that extends below the frontward end of the outer tube IT. The connecting piece 93 carries on its lower end a screw 96 that is designed to be threaded into the holes 89 of the foot rests.

In assembling the foot rest parts, during manufacture, to the rest of the carriage, the foot rests will be pivoted and the legs fastened to the structure and will all held by themselves against accidental removal, but a certain sequence of operation should be observed:

The lower leg parts 83 are first connected with their slots to the ribs 81 of the foot rests. The screw pieces 85 are thereupon threaded into the leg parts 83 and protrude through the holes 80 of the foot rests. Thereupon the lower-legpart-foot-rest assembly is threaded into the thread of the upper leg parts that are fixed to the underside of the side portions 13 and I4. When this threading is completed for both footrest-assemblies, the two holes 89 will be in registry, as the thread parts are so dimensioned to bring about such registry. Then, the connecting piece 93 is threaded into the holes 89 and finally the flattened upper part 94 is pivoted at 92, by means of a pin, to the ring ill.

The operation of the carriage is as follows: When the carriage is folded (Fig. 3), the forward end of the inner tube I8 may be grasped with one hand and the forward part of the outer tube I! be grasped with the other hand. Then the inner tube is shifted forwardly relative to the outer tube, whereby the two side pieces l3 and 14 will move laterally apart from each other, symmetrically, and also away from the middle portion l2. By this movement the pliable seat 18 will be straightened out between the two support portions 69 and II, and the back rest will similarly be straightened between the support portions 14. Thereafter, the back rest support portions 14 are manually tilted upwards and backwards until the clasps 8| thereof engage the vertical parts of the arm rests 61 below the pivot point 68. Finally, the lock 49 is opened by moving the lever 52 to a vertical position, and the handle 46 is drawn out of the inner tube l8 to any desired length, and the lock 49 is applied by moving the lever 52 to a horizontal position. As soon as the handle 46 was begun to be withdrawn, the latch 53 is ready automatically to lock the structure in the expanded position.

In folding the carriage, the opposite procedure will be observed. As soon as the handle 46 is released by the lock 49, the handle can be pushed into the inner tube I7, and its inner end will disengage the latch 53. The back rest supports may be tilted downwardly, and the carriage be collapsed by shifting the outer tube l1 relative to the inner tube l8.

Certain of the advantages of the invention have already been herein referred to. It may be useful, however, to allude particularly at this point to the small space occupied by the carrings when this folded: due toits'extremely' small size: yet, when unfolded, the carriage provides a. conrflortable seat for an infant and sufllcicnt length. for easy pushing and pulling. The rigidity of the construction avoids twistingand' prevents tilting of the carriage when in use.. The entire structure may preferably be made of light weight. material, such as aluminum, magnesium, or the. like in order to reduce the: weight and to facilitate the handling of-Ithe carriage.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the novel principles of the invention dis closed herein in connection with specific exempliflcations thereof will suggest various other modifications and applications of the same. It is accordingly desired that in construing the breadth of the appended claims they shall not be limited to the specific exemplifications of the invention described herein.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

I. In a collapsible carriage, comprsing a frame structure, a pair of wheels connected with relatlon to said structure, and a propelling hanclle associated with said structure and shiftable relative thereto between two opposite stations for increasing and decreasing respectively the overall length, said structure including two telescoping parts reciprocablerelative to each other between two extreme positions, and a linkage system including a. plurality of links, some of said links being pivotally interconnected, and a pair of links thereof pivoted at one end of one of said. telescoping parts and another pair of links thereof pivoted to. said other telescoping part, wheel holding. means. connected. to said v link system near the points of interconnection of said links and movable laterally of said frame and adapted to be restrained from angular movement and. arranged to hold said wheels freely rotatable, spring tensioned latching means intermediate said telescoping parts and operable automatically to lock the same when moved to one of said extreme positions, and latch releaslug means-associated. with said handle and movable thereby in. a path, said latching means including a projection protruding into said. path in the locking position and; being movable out of said path for latch release, said latch releasmg: means being. operable to move said projection upon impact therewith to release the looking engagement between said parts when said handle is moved towards length decreasing positime 2. Ina collapsible-carriage, as claimed in claim 1,.flllI1'1hBl' characterized in that said projection has a cam facing said latch releasing means whenlmoved into the path thereof, whereby upon impact with said latch releasing means the latter will depress said cam to. move said projection off said path to effectuate said release.

3. Ina collapsible carriage, acclaimed in claim 1, further characterized in that said projection has. a curved surface operable for engagement by. said latch releasing means in said path, for subsequent depression by said latch releasing means of. said projection off said path, to effectuate release.

4. Two endwise interconnected links, for use in connection with a collapsible carriage structure comprising two side portions movable towards and from each other and at all times being disposed parallel each of said links having a free endpivoted to a side portion, each free and including a screw connected to said link and adapted to be threaded in a socket of said side portion by rotating the entire link about said screw, the length o said screw being so arranged that upon completion of the threading of both links their ends to be interconnected will register and the links will form therebetween a predetermined angle depending, on the momentary space between the two side portions, said last. named. ends havingeach a threaded hole to receive a screw uniting the same.

LEO SCHON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STAFIIES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,228,046 Bird' Jan. 7,. 19 21 2,278,582 Feldman Apr. '7, 1942 2,285,700 Feldma-n June 9, 1942 2,484,939 Fassett Oct. 13, 1M9 "R4388 Ossbahr et al. a-" Dec; l9l 1950 

